TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Fractured Finger Points Pena To 15-Day Disabled List
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: June 5, 2008
BOSTON - The Rays played for a month - and thrived - without their best pitcher. They've managed to win, at various times, without their starting catcher, their primary designated hitter, their No. 3 starter, two middle relievers, a couple of utility infielders and their lights-out closer.
Now, they'll have to find a way to win without Carlos Pena, their cleanup batter and Gold Glove-caliber first baseman.
Pena suffered a fractured left index finger Tuesday when he was hit on the hand with a pitch thrown in the first inning by Red Sox rookie Justin Masterson. Pena remained in the game and doubled in a run and hit his 11th home run.
When he left Fenway Park on Tuesday night, he said an examination of the injured finger had revealed "no problem." But when he awoke Wednesday morning, there was a problem. A problem serious enough to land him on the 15-day disabled list.
"It seemed like it was going to be all right, but Wednesday morning it was really swollen, extremely swollen," Pena said. "We went to check it out and there is a fracture in there. Now, it's a matter of getting better and getting back out there.
"Emotionally, I'm extremely heartbroken because I want to be out there playing. But it is what it is, and at this moment I'm just going to go through the process and get better."
The V-shaped crack in Pena's left index proximal phalanx will be re-assessed in two weeks, after which a prognosis for his return will be made. Pena said he initially argued that he would be able to play through the injury, but when doctors told him there was a risk he could shatter the bone, he acquiesced.
"In my opinion, as soon as the swelling goes down, it's going to feel great," Pena said. "It's just a matter of being smart about it. There is a crack there, and you have to take all the necessary precautions. Because now that the bone is vulnerable, you have to be careful because it could easily become something worse if you're not smart with it."
Pena follows Scott Kazmir (left elbow strain), Cliff Floyd (right knee surgery), Dioner Navarro (finger lacerations), Matt Garza (radial nerve irritation), Al Reyes (shoulder soreness), Gary Glover (shoulder soreness), Ben Zobrist (broken thumb), Willy Aybar (hamstring) and Troy Percival (hamstring) onto the disabled list.
Tampa Bay has had 11 players miss 234 games on the DL.
Yet, they went into play Wednesday 12 games over .500 and leading the American League East.
"Championship teams have to overcome adversity," Pena said. "We have all the tools necessary, including the most important one, which is character. We have that type of character, we can overcome those adversities. These things are minor. This is a team. This is not one player. Everybody contributes. So, my absence should have no effect on the way we go about our business."
The Rays recalled outfielder Justin Ruggiano from Triple-A Durham. Eric Hinske, who has been the primary right fielder against right-handed starters, will play first base in Pena's absence. Aybar will receive the occasional start there, as well.
Ruggiano, Gabe Gross and Jonny Gomes figure to see most of the playing time in right, with left-handed-hitting Gross getting most of the starts against right-handers. Floyd batted cleanup Wednesday, but Manager Joe Maddon could change that from game to game.
Maddon has had plenty of experience this season trying to piece together a lineup missing some of its key components. It worked out OK when Navarro and Floyd were out in April and May.
"Everybody picked everybody else up," Maddon said. "Different guys got more opportunity, did well and, thus, increased their value. And that's what's going to happen right now."
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
